Over 500 Imams Protest Against Gay Marriage in UK

Hundreds of Islamic leaders have turned out in the United Kingdom to protest a bill proposed by Prime Minister David Cameron to legalize same-sex marriage.

According to John Bingham of the Telegraph, over 500 imams representing tens of thousands of British Muslims signed a letter of protest against the gay marriage proposal. Bingham deemed the action an "unprecedented intervention from the British Muslim community."

"Marriage is a sacred contract between a man and a woman that cannot be redefined. We believe that marriage between a man and a woman is the cornerstone of family life and the only institution within which to raise children," reads the letter, sent to the Sunday Telegraph.

"We are concerned that this radical change to the institution of marriage will impact on what is taught in schools. Muslim teachers will be forced into the contradictory position of holding private beliefs, while teaching a new legal definition of marriage. Muslim parents will be robbed of their right to raise their children according to their beliefs, as gay relationships are taught as something normal to their primary-aged children."

This would not be the first time that a Western European country's growing Muslim population spoke out in large numbers against their government's efforts to legalize same-sex marriage.

During the tenuous debate over marriage definition in France, Muslim activists joined large protests throughout Paris and urged the French Islamic Organisations to follow suit. In January, 50 French Muslim activists signed a letter of protest against the bill, which eventually passed and became law.

Kamal Nawash, founder of the American-based Free Muslims Coalition, told The Christian Post that he felt this large involvement by Europe's Islamic community in the marriage definition debate had to do with them gradually becoming more involved in the public sphere.

"Muslims have strong opinions on issues of family and morality. They have shied from expressing their views on these topics because they did not want more enemies than they already have," said Nawash.

"Conservative Christians would be wise to partner with Muslims on issues of morality such as gay marriage, abortion and other hot button issues because they will find willing and eager partners in Muslims with exactly the same views as conservative Christians."

Nawash also told CP that regarding the marriage definition debate the "overwhelming majority of American Muslims do not see gray lines on the issue of gay marriage."

"It is black and white and gay marriage is simply wrong. Muslims share the Christian history regarding the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah which are mentioned in the Book of Genesis, the New Testament, Deuterocanonical sources, as well as the Quran," said Nawash.